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Aniko Press acquires first title for publication 

Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Aniko Press has acquired world rights to its first title – The Slip, a debut short story collection from Miriam Webster. ‘The Slip is a collection of 10 stories about...

Diana Reid recommends 

Tuesday, 21 January 2025
I was completely engrossed by Emily Maguire’s Rapture: it’s immersive, visceral and thrillingly original.

Diana Reid on ‘Signs of Damage’ 

Tuesday, 21 January 2025
Diana Reid follows her bestselling novels Love & Virtue and Seeing Other People with her highly anticipated third novel, Signs of Damage (March, Ultimo), which ‘will appeal to fans of...

London Book Fair announces 2025 keynote speakers

the London Book Fair logo, featuring the dates 11–13 March 2025, Olympia London, and the theme: defining the future of creative content Tuesday, 21 January 2025
The London Book Fair (LBF) has announced its keynote speakers and sessions. On day one, Waterstones managing director and Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt will be in conversation with...

2025 Sargeson Fellows announced

the Sargeson Fellowship logo, a stylised apple in red and grey with the words sargeson and fellowship in a dark red Tuesday, 21 January 2025
The Frank Sargeson Trust has announced the recipients of the 2025 Sargeson Fellowship. The 2025 fellows and their projects are: Rachael King, who will work on YA fantasy novel ‘Song...

BookTok reprieve: TikTok restoring US accounts

a screenshot of a TikTok error message reading Sorry TikTok isn't available right now. Monday, 20 January 2025
In the US, TikTok has announced it has begun restoring access to the social media platform after incoming president Donald Trump indicated that one of his first acts will be...

EWF announces Zanoni as artistic director, co-CEO 

A photo of Jess Zanoni Monday, 20 January 2025
The Emerging Writers' Festival (EWF) has announced Jess Zanoni as artistic director and co-CEO. Zanoni, who is a writer, producer and musician as well as the organisation's previous program coordinator,...

Ferns to retire, Weir new GM at HarperCollins NZ 

an image of Karen Fern Monday, 20 January 2025
HarperCollins New Zealand has announced the retirement of general manager Karen Ferns. In a statement, the publisher said Ferns would retire ‘after an exceptional career spanning decades in the publishing...

Hazel Rowley Literary Fellowship 2025 shortlist announced

the logo for Writers Victoria Friday, 17 January 2025
Writers Victoria has announced the shortlist for the 2025 Hazel Rowley Literary Fellowship. The shortlist includes nine writers: Jennifer Martin, ‘writing about Australian journalist Eva Sommer, inaugural winner of the...

Christmas sales up 2% by value 

Cover of RecipeTin Eats: Tonight Friday, 17 January 2025
While book sales in Australia for the 2024 year overall were down compared to 2023, Christmas sales – those during the four weeks to 28 December 2024 – were up...

Hardie Grant announces restructure, redundancies 

the Hardie Grant logo, a black speech bubble with a stylised white line drawing of a dog inside Friday, 17 January 2025
Hardie Grant Publishing (HGP) has announced a restructure of its marketing and communications team and four redundancies. In a statement, the publisher told Book+Publishing: ‘In light of market challenges, one...

Local authors on Dublin Literary Award 2025 longlist

dublin literary Award Thursday, 16 January 2025
Several works by authors from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand have been longlisted for the 2025 Dublin Literary Award, worth €100,000 (A$165,236). The Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand longlisted titles...

Singleton on 2024 Novel Prize shortlist

Thursday, 16 January 2025
Publishers Fitzcarraldo Editions, Giramondo and New Directions have announced the 2024 shortlist for the Novel Prize. Local author Hollen Singleton is among those shortlisted for the prize, for their novel...

Green wins 2025 Margaret Mahy Medal

a black and white photo of Paula Green Thursday, 16 January 2025
The Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust Te Whare Waituhi Tamariki has announced poet Paula Green as the 2025 recipient of the Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal. Said Publishers Association of New...

Indie Book Awards 2025 shortlists announced

Wednesday, 15 January 2025
The shortlists for the 2025 Indie Book Awards have been announced. The shortlisted titles in each category are: Fiction Dusk (Robbie Arnott, Picador) Cherrywood (Jock Serong, Fourth Estate) The Ledge (Christian White, Affirm)...

Lucy Sussex recommends 

Cover of Restless Dolly Maunder Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Restless Dolly Maunder by Kate Grenville, which captures the female Australian voice and experience so well – just like Mary Fortune.

Megan Brown recommends 

Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Natasha Lester’s The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard. I really enjoyed it because it weaves fact and fiction together, but not in a forced way or in a way that tries...

NLA announces 2025 Fellows

Wednesday, 15 January 2025
The National Library of Australia (NLA) has announced its 2025 Fellows, awarded to local and international scholars. The recipients and their research projects are: NLA Fellowships Alexis Bergantz, ‘Whose Pacific?...

New independent publisher Spoor Books launches 

Wednesday, 15 January 2025
In Aotearoa New Zealand, Erena and Balamohan Shingade have launched Spoor Books. Spoor Books is ‘an independent publisher, a community-oriented platform, and a bookshop featuring radical publishers from India and...

Gizzi wins 2024 TS Eliot Prize

Cover of Fierce Elegy Wednesday, 15 January 2025
In the UK, Peter Gizzi has won the 2024 TS Eliot Prize, worth £25,000 (A$49,319), for Fierce Elegy (Penguin), reports Book Brunch. Fierce Elegy was chosen from a shortlist of...

Pearce wins PF Rowland Manuscript Development Grant 

Tuesday, 14 January 2025
James Cook University's Foundation for Australian Literary Studies has announced Lilian Pearce as the recipient of the second $5000 PF Rowland Manuscript Development Grant. The grant is offered in partnership...

S&S launches audio-first imprint

Tuesday, 14 January 2025
In the US, Simon & Schuster has launched Simon Maverick, an audio-first imprint, under the guidance of Jason Pinter, the imprint’s vice-president and editorial director. Publishers Weekly (PW) reported that...

Aotearoa New Zealand market down 6.6% in value 

Tuesday, 14 January 2025
In Aotearoa New Zealand, the book market in 2024 was down by 6.6% in value and 3.2% in volume, according to figures from Nielsen BookScan NZ. Nielsen’s 2024 snapshot for...